Facebook under fire over Holocaust-denial groups

Facebook is struggling to walk the line between pandering to pressure groups and protecting the right to free speech; in this case the speech of neo-nazis.

The social network is under fire from campaigner Brian Cuban, a lawyer from Dallas, who believe that neo-nazi groups that deny that the Holocaust really happened should not be allowed to air their views in public. Currently, Facebook removes content on the site which contains pornography, threatens violence, or groups sponsored by terrorist organizations. However, they currently don’t feel that this censorship should extend to Holocaust-deniers, despite the fact that denying the Holocaust is illegal in some European countries.

Brian Cuban is unhappy with this stance and has posted an email exchange that he had with Facebook staff on his blog. Cuban argues that, as the Facebook terms of service prohibit posting content which is illegal, they should pull neo-nazi hate-groups that deny the Holocaust occured on the basis that such speech is illegal in Germany. Facebook counter that it’s not always that simple, citing the example that content endorsing homosexuality would be illegal in several countries, but they do not prohibit gay groups. A Facebook spokesman went on to say that the site has started censoring certain content in certain regions, so that Holocaust-denying groups are blocked to German users but accessible to those in countries where such speech, however distressing, is not illegal.

Global social networks find themselves increasingly treading a very difficult path; trying to appease pressure groups whilst protecting their users’ freedom of expression and attempting to remain neutral in battles where both sides will never be happy. Whilst few people would have sympathy for the neo-nazis, or care if their groups were canned, such a move could open the floodgates to many new requests from groups that object to certain views being aired or simply wish to deny their opponents a voice.

Speak Your Mind

Jeff

I hate to say it, but Facebook is in the right in this instance. Neo-nazis are horrible individuals with horrible ideas (in my opinion), but they, like any other american are allowed to voice their beliefs, and if Facebook caves to the pressure groups, Andy Carvell is correct, there will be no end to the censorship that will ensue.

Jason

Aren’t we forgetting something? No one is forcing us to listen to this hate-filled idiotic crap. Freedom of expression also includes the right to disagree and ignore.
Out of curiousity, has anyone actually been taken to court for ignoring or disagreeing with a hate group?

awesomeo

I don’t like Nazi’s or Neo-Nazi’s, but censoring one group is censorship nonetheless. These people who believe free speech is OK as long as it’s all politically correct need to learn a hard lesson. They wouldn’t be happy if they were censored, so leave the stupid Nazi’s free speech alone and get a life. I’ve never run across a Neo-Nazi facebook page, nore has one been forced on me. I didn’t even know they had one until reading this. Nazi’s will be Nazi’s, facebook or not. You can’t have free speech unless everything is allowed.

http://www.missbubbles.etsy.com Renata

This is a tricky issue as democracy speaks about experring your views in a free and uncontrolle manner but as the number and variation of views increase the same democracy starts to apply other principles of control of the publicity and public opinion.

A Brit

I am so glad to see these responses, I get worried whenever I suggest that the far right have the same right to speak their mind as does the far left. I am a liberal person, but the most disapointing people to me are other so called liberal’s who want to censor those people that they don’t agree with.
Neo-Nazi’s should have their forum and I should have the opportunity to ignore what they say.

joeamerica

Please keep in mind that it’s rather useful to various government agencies whenever NeoNazis and other terrorist groups place themselves in broad daylight.